Roy Appleton

This story and photos are shared by the Trust with kind permission from Mavis Williams, Researcher

Roy Appleton was born in the September quarter of 1921 in the Leeds Registration District, the son of John William & Kate Appleton (née Phillips).  I believe he was their only child.

Roy's father was a regular in the Army as the 1911 census records the fact he was with the 21st (Empress of India’s) Lancers at Abbassia Barracks, Cairo, Egypt.  He went on to serve in the First World War and I found German Prisoner of War Documents for him. He was serving with the 10th Royal West Kent Regiment when he was capture at Beugny in 1918.

He returned home after the war where he met Kate. They got married in Eldon Wesleyan Church, Leeds on 31 July 1920. We see Roy for the first time on the 1921 census, which was taken on the 19th of June 1921, the little family are living at 92, Meanwood Road, Leeds, Yorkshire (West Riding), England.

We see Roy again, when his proud Mum & Dad put him in for the Children’s Day Competitions, promoted by the School’s Athletic Association and the Yorkshire Evening Post. He won 3rd prize and the prizes were awarded in Leeds Town Hall as seen in this article reporting on the event in the Leeds Mercury dated the 16th of July 1924.

Source: Leeds Mercury 16 July 1924

I could not find him in 1939 National Register, only his parents are on that. The National Register was taken on the 29th of September 1939 and shows his parents were living at 23 Greyshiels Avenue, Leeds. But a newspaper clipping in the Yorkshire Post & Leeds Mercury gives a clue as to what he was doing.

The newspaper,  dated Tuesday 27th of June 1944, gives a list of Northern Casualties  amongst whom was Roy. It states: Lieut. Roy Appleton, son of Mr. & Mrs. J.W. Appleton, Greyshiels Avenue, Leeds has died of wounds while serving in France. He was formerly a student at Leeds University and a member of Leeds Athletic Club.

The British Army Casualty List reports that he died of wounds on 6th June 1944. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission Graves Concentrations Report Form tells us that he was buried, probably where he fell, at Ver sur Mer and then reburied on the 2nd of February 1945 at Bayeux British Cemetery where he now lies.

The newspaper Yorkshire Evening Post dated the 6th of June 1949 had a Roll of Honour notice in which his parents wrote a really poignant message:

APPLETON – Precious and treasured memories of Lieut. ROY APPLETON, East Yorks died Normandy, June 6, 1944; also thoughts of his friend and cousin, Sergt. R. Eves*, R.A.F., missing from operations, 1942, and all the dear young faces who no longer come to Greyshiels Ave., Leeds 6. - Mother & Dad.

*Reginald Grenville Eves was the nephew of Kate’s sister, Amy Eves (née Phillips). He was serving in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and had been posted to 408 (Goose) Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force when he was killed on the 21st of January 1942. He was 21 years of age.